Then Iyyov answered and said,

Then Iyyov raised his voice and said:

Even today my complaint is bitter: my stroke is heavy because of my groaning.

Today, too, [(after all these consolations)], my plaint is bitter, [for] my wound is greater than my sigh.

Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

Would that I knew where to find Him; I would come to His abode.

I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would arrange my judgment [i.e., my plea] before Him, and I would fill my mouth with remonstrance.

I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.

[(And even if He would not allow me to speak, perhaps He would speak to me and)] I would know [with what] words He would answer me, and I would understand what He would tell me.

Would he contend with me in his great power? No; but he would give heed to me.

Would He contend with me with overpowering force? No, only [the "quarrel" of my sins (and not that of false libels)] would He wage with me.

There the upright might reason with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

There [(in the place of our quarrel)] my uprightness will be apparent before Him, and I will escape forever from My judge.

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

[(reversion to verse 3)] But if I go east, He is not there, and if west, I cannot apprehend Him.

on the left hand, where he works, but I cannot behold him: he hides himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

When He made the north, I did not see [Him (i.e., He did not establish His abode there)]. He has concealed the south [from me] and I do not see [Him there].

for he knows the way that I take: when he has tried me, I shall come forth like gold.

For He knows the [uprightness of the] way I have trod; He has examined me, and I have come out as gold [(Therefore, He is "avoiding" me)].

My foot has held fast to his steps; his way have I kept, and not turned aside.

My foot has held to His path; I have heeded His way and not strayed [from it].

Nor have I gone back from the commandment of his lips, I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

[I have heeded] the commandment of His lips and I have not cast it aside. More than my daily bread have I treasured the words of His mouth.

But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him? and what his soul desires, even that he does.

But He is one [(in the world and knows the thoughts of all men)], so who can answer Him? [Therefore,] whatever He wills, He does.

For he performs the thing that is appointed for me and many such things are with him.

[I know] that [He will not leave off until] He completes my "allotment" of afflictions], for many such things are with Him [i.e., for He has often wrought thus].

Therefore am I terrified at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

Therefore, [(because He does not recompense a man according to his ways)], I am confounded before Him. I reflect [upon His ways] and am affrighted of Him.

For God makes my heart faint, and the Almighty has affrighted me:

G d has caused my heart to quake. The Almighty has confounded me

because I was not cut off before the darkness, nor did he cover the thick darkness from my face.

in that I have not been cut off [(by death)] before the [(onset of the)] darkness, and [in that] the darkness was [not] concealed from me [before my death].